


Role Model

by GypsyJr (HippieGeekGirl)



Category: How I Met Your Mother, Iron Man (Movieverse)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-17
Updated: 2010-05-17
Packaged: 2017-10-09 13:06:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/87819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HippieGeekGirl/pseuds/GypsyJr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barney laments the loss of his personal hero.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Role Model

"What's got you so down?" Robin slid into the gang's usual booth at the bar, exhausted after a long day of reporting. "I haven't seen anyone look that sad since Marshall found out that Loch Ness Monster picture was faked."

"Just because that particular photo was a hoax doesn't mean there isn't-"

"Marshall."

"Sorry."

At Barney's continued silence, Ted answered. "He's just a little upset about that billionaire weapons designer who went missing in Afghanistan."

"God, I've been talking about that all day. What's the big deal about Tony Stark?"

"Barney's got a mancrush," Lily replied in a sing-song voice.

"I do not!"

"Dude, you totally have a mancrush." Ted gestured at him with his glass. "You've saved memos you were supposed to shred just because they had his signature on them."

"And remember that time you ran into him in the bathroom at Caesar's Palace? You looked like you were shell-shocked or something." Marshall grinned at the memory.

"Yeah, that was the first time I'd ever seen you speechless."

"It's not a _mancrush_," Barney insisted, swatting Ted's arm away as he elbowed him in the side. "He's a role model. He's brilliant, he's insanely wealthy, he picks up chicks without even trying and I'm not afraid to say it, the guy is damn good-looking. He's the epitome of everything I aspire to be."

"Yeah, he is pretty hot," Robin mused.

"Hot? Tony Stark is the _patron saint of Awesome_. And now…" He paused for an appropriately dramatic length of time. "He's gone."

Robin reached over and gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "Hey, they could still find him."

"Yeah, sure."

Lily mock-sighed. "It's always so sad seeing young love die."

 

Three months later, everyone was gathered around the tiny television at McClaren's, which was tuned to a repeat of Tony Stark's press conference. Barney watched his idol in awe before climbing up on a table and offering free drinks to the entire bar.

Ted reached up and tugged on his pants leg. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm passing the torch," he replied as he climbed down. "There's no way I can compete with that."

"What are you talking about?"

Barney nodded at the TV, where Stark was about to utter his now-immortal catchphrase: _"I am Iron Man."_ Glasses clinked as spontaneous applause broke out.

"_That_ is officially the greatest pick-up line of all time."


End file.
